


Mark

by SharkGirl



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (or canon compliant before S6), (sort of), Alien Cultural Differences, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Birthmarks, Established Relationship, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mixed Messages, Multi, Scars, Sharpshooter Ezine, Soulmarks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-18 04:11:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15477396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: Immediately, Lance panicked. Had he read the situation wrong? Was he not supposed to change in front of her? Was his inability to focus earlier going to cost them an alliance?A million thoughts flew through his mind, Shiro’s and Keith’s disappointed expressions at the forefront, but they all dissipated when long fingers brushed against his back, just inside his shoulder blade.“Your mark,” the servant said, her eyes wide and her gaze almost reverent.For a moment, Lance was confused, but then he realized what she was looking at. “Oh, that?” He gave an awkward chuckle. “Just a birthmark. I’ve had it forever.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! It looks like we've been given the go-ahead to post our Sharpshooter Ezine works early. So, please enjoy my submission for this awesome (FREE!) zine. The creators worked really hard to put it together, so it would mean a lot if you took the time to check out the full zine [here](https://bleucheesy.tumblr.com/post/176404218779/happy-birthday-lance). Again, it's completely free. A labor of love for our Lancey!
> 
> Beta'd by the lovely Ghost and Jes~♥  
> Please enjoy!

“And so,” Coran droned on, filling the paladins in on everything they needed to know about their upcoming mission. Well, it wasn’t a mission, per se, but an important diplomatic meeting.

Even years after the defeat of Zarkon, and Lotor’s subsequent succession, they continued to form alliances, adding more planets and systems to the Voltron coalition. But there were still rogue Galran fleets that had yet to pledge their allegiance to the new emperor. And so, a paladin’s work was never done.

“Because of this,” Coran continued and Lance did his best to keep his eyes open. But it was hard. He’d been up late the night before, attempting to keep up with both Shiro and Keith in the training room. And that had been his first mistake.

Lance wasn’t sure when his eyelids had drooped completely closed, but a sudden swift kick to his shin had them flying open. He blinked for a moment before turning toward its source.

Keith was frowning at him, his brows drawn down. ‘Pay attention,’ he mouthed and faced Coran once again, his arms tightly crossed over his chest. And Shiro, who was on Keith’s other side, spared Lance a disappointed look before doing the same.

Torn between embarrassment and shame – one for being caught dozing during Coran’s briefing and the other for letting both his boyfriends down – Lance just ducked his head and faced forward. He barely caught Coran mention something about marks before he failed to stifle a yawn.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Keith turning his way. He could practically _feel_ the red paladin’s gaze on him, hot and frustrated. Not in the mood for a lecture, Lance just burrowed closer to Hunk, who sat on his other side, and tried his hardest to stay awake.

Training the night before had been a mistake. But it had been so long since the three of them had been on the castle ship at the same time. Keith was often with the Blade of Marmora, honing his skills and becoming the best he could be. While Shiro – who, let’s face it, had been through more than his fair share of trouble – had finally returned in one piece.

Things were different now, though. And Lance had felt it while the three attempted to spar. Never mind that both Shiro and Keith were stronger than him, their skills better suited for close-range, hand-to-hand combat. But their movements just…clicked in a way that Lance’s couldn’t.

Like they were on the same page and Lance wasn’t even reading the same book.

As it was, the three of them had never really had time to themselves. Lance and Keith got together while Shiro was missing – sort of. They’d never really said what they were – and then, when Keith had first left to train with the Blade, Lance and Shiro had sort of become a thing.

If Lance thought about it too hard – which happened more often than not – he’d come to the conclusion that not a one of them had confirmed their relationship status. The three of them were together, he’d assumed, but after their late-night training…he wasn’t so sure about that.

“So, I want you to be on your best behavior, Paladins,” Coran finished with a flourish, one hand coming up to twist the end of his mustache. “I believe that’s everything,” he mused before turning toward Allura. “Princess?”

“You seem to have covered it all,” she returned with a bright smile. Then she faced the rest of the room. “Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Lance shrunk down in his seat, knowing that his boyfriends – or whatever they were to him – were probably sending disapproving looks his way. So, instead of acknowledging them, he stood up with Hunk, patting his best friend on the back.

“You ready for this mission, buddy?” he asked with all the false bravado he could muster. “Should be a piece of cake, right?”

“Should be,” Hunk replied with a chuckle. “Their customs are a little strange, but…” he trailed off, giving a shrug. “No worse than we’ve dealt with before.”

Lance made a mental note to ask Hunk exactly what those customs were, but later, when Shiro and Keith weren’t around to accuse him of failing to pay attention. After all, that was their fault. Mostly. Sort of. Whatever.

“Then let’s do this thing,” Lance said, following Hunk out of the room and ignoring the two pairs of eyes burning holes into the back of his head.

 

When they arrived on the planet, it was business as usual. They went down as a paladin unit, Allura and Shiro leading the pack, with Hunk, Pidge, Keith, and Lance following behind. Keith, of course, was a relatively new addition, since he tended to spend more time away. But it was good to see him in his red armor again.

More often than not, the worlds they visited had a huge palace, home to the royal family or leaders. And this was no exception.

A servant, judging by the alien’s behavior, came to greet them, his head bowed low. “Mighty Paladins of Voltron,” he said with his arms held out and palms up. “It is a great honor to have you here on Avanyu.” He stood up, his form mostly humanoid, save for how long his limbs were. His skin was a light powder blue, speckled with darker shades and his eyes and hair were jewel-toned.

Apparently, the Avanyuans – or Avanyuites? – were a very pretty people. Not that Lance was all about looks. He’d happily dealt with slug people and pulsing gas clouds before. But it was always a bit easier when he knew exactly where to make eye contact when he spoke.

“Thank you for having us,” Allura said to him.

“We understand that your king and queen are interested in joining the coalition,” Shiro spoke next, practiced and rehearsed. This was hardly new to any of them.

“Yes, of course.” The man bowed again. “But before you meet with their majesties, please allow us to escort you to your rooms.” He straightened and snapped his fingers. Instantly, five more servants appeared. Now there was one for each of them.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Allura nodded before following after her own personal guide.

“So,” Lance whispered to Hunk as they were led forward. “We’re staying the night, then?”

“Uh, yeah?” he offered, quirking a brow. “I know you looked kind of out of it, but I figured you’d heard that part.”

“Please,” Pidge interject with a roll of her eyes. “He could barely keep his eyes open. I doubt he heard anything Coran told us.”

Lance would have taken offense to that if Pidge wasn’t one hundred percent right, so, he opted for changing the subject. “Guess they’ll probably serve us dinner, then,” he noted and then cleared his throat. “Anything I should worry about?”

“If you mean etiquette, just don’t eat like an animal and you’ll be fine,” Pidge said. “It seems like most of their customs are pretty similar to ours. Well, with one exception, of course.”

“Yeah,” Hunk added. “I thought that was interesting, too.”

“What was-” but Lance was cut off when their servants came to a halt, the one in front gesturing toward a large, elaborately engraved door.

“Your room, Blue Paladin,” she said, bowing deeply before pressing her long fingers into what appeared to be glossy wood. But the moment the tips came in contact with it, purple light glowed beneath the surface and it melted away to reveal a lavish suite.

“Whoa,” Lance gaped. He turned to see that Allura, Shiro, and Keith were gone – more than likely already shown to their rooms – and Hunk and Pidge were currently being led to theirs.

He’d missed his chance to ask them about what the Avanyuans did that was so peculiar, but he figured he’d just ask before dinner.

“This way,” his servant said, pulling him from his thoughts, and he blushed at his rudeness before following her inside. The door materialized behind them and he awkwardly cleared his throat. “The king and queen have provided you with Avanyu garments for the feast tonight in your honor.” She gestured toward the bed, where Lance spotted some blue fabric.

“Thank you,” he said, bobbing his head in thanks.

He expected her to leave, but she remained. Apparently, she was to stay with him until they went to dinner. That was a little awkward, but it wasn’t like Lance was shy. Still, it surprised him when he walked over toward the bed and she simply got down onto the floor, folding her long legs beneath her, and placing her hands on the tops of her thighs as she waited for him to change.

She looked very much like the first Avanyuan they’d met, though her skin was a light almost periwinkle. Her hair was short and matched her eyes, which glittered like amethysts as she patiently waited for him to dress.

And as Lance began to remove his armor, he wondered if the fact that Avanyuans didn’t seem to have any shame was what Hunk and Pidge were going on about.

However, when he unzipped the back of his body suit and slid it down his shoulders, the servant gasped, shooting up onto her feet and slapping a hand over her mouth.

Immediately, Lance panicked. Had he read the situation wrong? Was he not supposed to change in front of her? Was his inability to focus earlier going to cost them an alliance?

A million thoughts flew through his mind, Shiro’s and Keith’s disappointed expressions at the forefront, but they all dissipated when long fingers brushed against his back, just inside his shoulder blade.

“Your mark,” the servant said, her eyes wide and her gaze almost reverent.

For a moment, Lance was confused, but then he realized what she was looking at. “Oh, that?” He gave an awkward chuckle. “Just a birthmark. I’ve had it forever.”

It wasn’t one of his favorite features. A splotchy brown spot on his back that kind of looked like Norway? Not exactly something he liked to show off. But this Avanyuan seemed intrigued, almost enamored with it.

“You say you’ve had it since birth?” she asked, jeweled gaze darting up to his face.

“Uh, yeah.” Lance wet his lips, suddenly feeling nervous. His face must have shown his discomfort because she pulled away, clasping her hands behind her back and lowering her head again.

“Please excuse my forwardness,” she said and then raised her head. “My apologies, Blue Paladin, but I must leave you for a moment. Another servant will return to assist you momentarily.” And before Lance could even give her the go ahead, she was gone, dashing through the doorway as if the solid material was nothing more than vapor.

“O…kay…” Lance blinked and, as he finished undressing, he glanced over his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror. He didn’t regularly look at his own back, so he sometimes forgot about the scar he’d gotten when Sendak had tried to take over the Castle of Lions back on Arus. “Oh, I wonder if she meant that,” he mused, remembering how wide the servant’s eyes had grown when she’d seen it.

Ah, what did that matter? She was probably just embarrassed for reacting like that. Then again, she _had_ run off in a sort of tizzy. But Lance just shook his head. Hunk and Pidge had been right about the Avanyuans being a little odd. Of course, Lance wouldn’t realize just _how_ odd until dinner.

But for now, blissfully unaware, he lifted the blue material from the bed, pleased that it wasn’t something completely unflattering or revealing, and changed just in time for another servant to greet him and lead the way to the banquet hall.

 

It seemed as though the Avanyuan royalty spared no expense in their feast honoring the Mighty Paladins of Voltron. Lance was used to receiving a hero’s welcome by now, but this really took the cake. There was course after course of exquisite concoctions. Even Hunk was blissed out beside him, deliriously chattering about flavors, textures, and mouthfeel.

Across the table, Lance spotted Shiro and Keith. The former was speaking with the first servant, who’d greeted them earlier, and who Lance guessed was more of an advisor or at least someone pretty important, judging by his seating assignment. Both he and Allura were doing their usual thing – Princess and Leader business.

Keith, on the other hand, was staring down at his plate, his brow furrowed as he attempted to determine just what he was about to put in his mouth. Lance found it cute. Even if things were a little tense between the three of them at the moment, he could still appreciate Keith’s awkwardness and Shiro’s cool and calm diplomatic presence.

He really did like them a lot. Actually, he more than just ‘liked’ them, but that was something none of them had ever dared to mention. And, honestly, he wasn’t about to be the first. He couldn’t even imagine how embarrassing it would be if he said those three little words and the other two just stared at him blankly or, worse, ‘let him down easy.’

Lance shook his head and turned his attention on his own meal. He was on course nine – or was it ten? – and, although he was starting to get full, he was eager to give it a try.

“Everything okay?” Hunk asked from beside him, pulling him from his reverie.

“Hmm?” Lance turned toward him. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because you’re doing it again,” Hunk offered, his dark eyes soft and his expression concerned. He was the only one who knew about their relationship. Well, Pidge knew – of course, she did – but Hunk was the only one Lance talked to about their…issues.

“Is he making goo-goo eyes?” Pidge asked, butting in and, when she noticed Lance hadn’t touched his food added, “Are you going to eat that?”

“Yes,” Lance said, blocking her utensil with his own before she had a chance to steal his slice of blue meat. He quickly stuffed it into his mouth before she got any ideas and, still feeling Hunk’s worried gaze on him, he faced his best friend again. “What?”

“Did something happen?” Hunk drew his brows together.

“Nothing happened,” Lance confirmed, eyes flicking over toward Shiro and Keith before settling on Hunk again. “Just…same ol’, same ol’.”

Hunk nodded, offering an apologetic smile. Lance didn’t really want his sympathy. He was happy to have it, of course. But the other man shouldn’t have to worry about him and his relationship problems, even if he had been his shoulder to cry on and his ear for the past few months as he tried to figure out exactly where he stood with Shiro and Keith.

“She keeps looking at you,” Pidge said from his other side.

Lance blinked and faced Pidge, confused. “What? Who?”

“The princess.” Pidge gestured toward the head of the table with her fork-like utensil. “She’s been doing it all dinner.”

Lance followed the length of the elongated fork toward her royal highness. He hadn’t really noticed her before. But when he made eye contact, she looked away, her cheeks tinting. She was pretty cute, actually, maybe around his age – if Avanyuans aged liked humans – with pink skin, long, magenta hair curled in ringlets, and bright rose-quartz-like eyes.

Her coloring was the same as her father’s, the king. But she looked more like the queen. Though, it was hard to tell with how she now hid her face.

“Earth to Lance,” Pidge called, waving a hand in front of his face. “We get it, pretty alien girl. But can we focus?”

“Huh?” He turned away from the royal family. “Focus on what?”

“Why she’s been staring at you,” Pidge said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Um, maybe because I’m irresistibly attractive?” Lance offered and, ignoring Hunk’s amused snort, he continued. “What’s it matter, anyway? She’s the princess, right? She’s free to look all she wants.” He shrugged and sat back as a servant removed his empty dish and replaced it with a bowl of what appeared to be soup.

“Hmm…” Pidge eyed him before picking up a shallow spoon. “I guess…”

Of course, now that Pidge had pointed it out, Lance could practically _feel_ the princess’s eyes on him. Not that he minded, exactly. But it was unusual. He was the flirt – before whatever it was he had with Shiro and Keith had started – but to have a pretty alien pay him special attention before they’d even spoken a word to each other? And a princess at that?  Well…that was odd. Nice. But odd.

And then, once dessert was done and the plates were cleared away, Lance understood.

“Honored guests,” the king said as he stood up, his glass raised high in the air. “We thank you for joining us tonight.” He beamed. “Not only are we happy to announce our solidified allegiance with the Voltron coalition,” he continued, his expression turning fond as he looked toward the princess, “but to find out our daughter’s betrothed is among us, well…” His smile widened further. “That is the greatest gift we could ever receive.”

“Your daughter’s betrothed?” Allura asked, glancing at the advisor for clarification.

“Yes,” the king explained. “One of my most trusted servants saw the mark, herself.” He turned toward Lance and suddenly all eyes were on him. “We were certainly surprised, but overjoyed to learn that the blue paladin bears my daughter’s soul mark.”

Everything stopped. Lance froze as his mind fought to process that information. He just stared at the King, mouth agape, the room beginning to spin around him.

In the back of his mind, Lance vaguely recollected Coran saying something about marks. But there was no way. How could he be the princess’s intended? He wasn’t even from this planet. His ‘mark’ was nothing more than off-color pigment in his skin – either that, or remnants from an old wound. She could take her pick and either wouldn’t add up for a betrothal.

He couldn’t be the one. And yet, when his gaze shifted, the princess was beaming at him, still a bit shyly, but open and pleased.

Lance wasn’t sure what shocked him out of his trance, but the heavy scraping of wooden-like legs against the polished floor definitely caught his attention.

“You’re wrong!” It was Keith who spoke. He was standing, his hands planted firmly on the dinner table and his expression livid.

“Keith,” Shiro interrupted, standing beside him and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. We’ll get this sorted-”

“I understand the red paladin’s astonishment,” the king said, his long-fingered hand suddenly on Lance’s shoulder and his jovial tone seemingly unaffected by Keith’s outburst. “But we are proud to be tied to Voltron in this way.”

“Your highness,” Shiro said, facing the king, though his eyes darted to Lance’s for a moment. “There must be some sort of error.”

“No such thing!” the king interjected with a wave of his other hand, the liquid in his goblet sloshing. “We have waited many deca-phoebs for my daughter’s chosen one to grace us with his presence and now the time has come.”

Keith made to argue, but Shiro’s grip on his shoulder tightened. Lance felt trapped, only able to watch as his boyfriends let it sink in.

The king remained undeterred, raising his glass even higher. “Tonight we celebrate,” he announced. “And tomorrow,” he paused with a grin in Lance’s direction. “My daughter will be wed!” He leaned closer, speaking so only Lance could hear. “Welcome to the family, Blue Paladin of Voltron.”

After that, Lance was whisked out of the dining room and to a new, even more grandiose private chamber. And it was there, after being washed and dressed by no less than six servants – all of whom didn’t answer a single one of his questions – that the night finally caught up to him. He sat heavily on the bed.

Surely Shiro, with his diplomatic prowess, could talk Lance out of this. Or Keith. Maybe Keith could fight for him. Was this a dueling planet? They’d been on plenty of those.

Lance buried his face in his hands. He really wished he’d stayed awake during Coran’s briefing.

Just then, there was a knock at his door. “Blue Paladin,” a familiar voice called – the servant who’d seen his back earlier. “His majesty requests your presence in the ballroom for your formal introduction.”

Lance groaned. He really, _really_ needed to think of something and fast.

Wait. Maybe he could get clarification from her! If it was his scar, he could easily explain that away. After all, she’d be under the impression that he’d had it since birth, which he clearly hadn’t. Maybe he could fix this all on his own without bothering Shiro or Keith.

Though, the thought that this had caused them any trouble – and the rest of his team, too – had Lance feeling pretty low. Still, he had to try.

However, as he opened his mouth to grant her entry, someone placed their hand over it, cutting him off. Lance panicked. He was certain he’d been alone in his new room. He tried to break free from his captor’s hold, but the other only held on tighter.

“Calm down,” came a husky voice against his ear. A voice he knew very well. Keith’s. “It’s me.”

Keith slowly removed his hand and Lance turned to face him, confused. “Keith?” he whispered. “What are you doing in my room?”

“Getting you the hell out of here,” he said, gaze darting over his shoulder. “If the Avanyu think they’re marrying you off, they’ve got another thing coming.”

Lance’s eyes went wide. “Keith. Are you _kidnapping_ me?” he gaped.

Keith faced him again, his expression serious. “Yes.”

“Oh.” Lance’s brows shot up.

“Blue Paladin?” the servant called again, a hint of worry in her tone. “Am I no longer an acceptable servant for your highness?”

“No, no! You’re fine, uh… Just a minute!” Lance returned and then lowered his voice again. “Does Shiro know about this?” he hissed.

“What Shiro doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Keith answered and then, at Lance’s astonished expression, he smiled. “I’m kidding. It was his idea.”

“Shiro? Mr. Diplomacy? The face and decisive head of Voltron?” Lance blinked. “He suggested kidnapping me?”

“Yeah, well, the king wasn’t exactly listening to reason,” Keith said, taking Lance’s hand and tugging him toward a large window. “He wouldn’t even speak with us.”

“And so the best option was to kidnap the princess’s betrothed?” Lance deadpanned, but drew back when Keith shot him a glare.

“You are _not_ her betrothed,” he said, like it was the hundredth time. “And, even if you were, none of that matters because-” he cut himself off with a shake of his head. “Never mind. Let’s just get you to the ship.”

“No, no, no.” Lance pulled his hand free. “What were you going to say?”

He tried to play it cool, but deep down, Lance was nervous. Could Keith be insinuating what he thought? Was that the reason why Shiro had done something so rash? So…un-Shiro-like?

“Lance, I know you’re an idiot, but you’re not that dumb,” was Keith’s reply and Lance immediately deflated before puffing himself back up, insulted.

“Well, excuse mmmm-” but he didn’t get to finish what he was saying, because Keith’s lips were on his, silencing him.

“Do you think Shiro and I would just let the person we love marry someone else?” He smiled softly, caressing Lance’s cheek with his thumb. “Now, let’s get going before that servant reports you missing.”

And Lance followed with a bounce in his step, his heart light.

He’d been worrying for nothing. Of course, it was a shame that he had to get _accidentally engaged_ for either of his boyfriends to confess flat-out. But, hey, beggars couldn’t be choosers.

And, when it came down to it, given all his options, he was glad he’d chosen them.

But then Lance paused mid-step. “Wait,” he called, earning an aggravated huff from Keith. “What does Allura have to say about all this?” Had he ruined their chance at gaining an ally? Would she be upset with them when she found out?

At that, Keith smirked. “Who do you think called Coran to bring the ship around?”

Lance’s jaw dropped as more of that happy warmth filled his chest. Gosh, he sure could get used to being wrong. But, uh, speaking of being wrong…

“Uh, did the king happen to show you his daughter’s mark?” he asked, nearly falling forward as Keith grabbed his wrist and gave him a tug to hurry along.

“No.” Keith stopped dragging him toward the window and turned around again. “Why?”

Lance chewed on his lower lip. “Well, there may have been a mistake.”

“Yeah, obviously,” Keith snorted.

“No, I mean-”

“Is someone in there with you?” the servant’s voice came from the other side of the door once again. “Are you in danger, Blue Paladin?!”

They were out of time.

“Listen,” Lance said, not fighting Keith anymore. “I think we can fix things, both the engagement and the alliance. But you have to trust me.”

Keith sighed and faced him fully, wrapping both arms around Lance and pulling him close. “I trust you, I just…”

“Have everyone return to their rooms,” Lance instructed, pulling back. “If I’m right, I think we can leave this planet on a peaceful note.”

Keith hesitated, but agreed. “And…if you’re wrong?”

“Well.” Lance shrugged. “Let’s have Coran keep the ship close.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you're thinking and, yes, this was supposed to be significantly longer, haha. But there was a maximum word count and, if I'd continued with the original ending, it was going to be considerably over that (like, double, haha) So, I hope the ending doesn't feel like too much of cliffhanger. I went back and changed a lot to make it work for the parameters.
> 
> EDIT: NOW WITH A BONUS CHAPTER!!
> 
> As always, let me know what you think and hit me up on my Voltron sideblog [@bleucheesy](http://bleucheesy.tumblr.com)! (main: [@jubesy](http://jubesy.tumblr.com))


	2. Bonus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since so many people asked what happened, I decided to write a little extra.  
> This story changed from my original plan, so this is all new material, haha.
> 
> Un-beta'd. Please enjoy!!

It took some time, but after a thorough search of his room leaving no trace of Keith’s presence, the servant breathed a sigh of relief – which Lance most definitely echoed.

“I apologize, Your Highness,” she said, bowing low. “I thought I heard voices and I jumped to conclusions.”

“Happens to the best of us,” Lance assured, tugging at the high neck of his sleepwear the other servants had changed him into not long before. “Um, you said the king wanted to see me?”

At that, the servant brightened. “Yes, Your Highness,” she answered. “His majesty requests your presence in the ballroom for your formal introduction,” she explained.

Lance took a quick look down at his ensemble and the servant smiled at his obvious confusion.

“Originally, his majesty wished to wait until morning, but due to certain circumstances…” she trailed off, lowering her gaze and Lance could guess to what she was referring. Keith had said that the king wouldn’t even grant them an audience, which, knowing his boyfriend, meant that Keith had probably followed him all the way to his chambers, demanding he and Shiro be heard.

“I understand.” Lance gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. This was better anyway. Now he wouldn’t have to wait until morning to explain that he was most definitely not the princess’s soulmate. Better to do it quick. Like removing a bandage.

“Then I shall get you dressed in the appropriate attire,” the servant replied, dashing over to a closet and busying herself with choosing the best outfit.

Lance walked over to the bed and sat down, not realizing how wobbly his legs had become. He was nervous. It wasn’t often that he had to turn someone down, let alone an alien princess whose people thought he was her betrothed. But, in addition to that, he’d received a very different sort of confession from Keith.

A welcome one.

Both Keith and Shiro loved him. They didn’t want him getting married off to some princess because of a misunderstanding. And, until Lance quickly thought of a plan, they’d both been willing to kidnap him. Heck, they’d even gotten the others in on it.

He glanced over at the large window and toward the sky. Behind those dark clouds, Coran was waiting with the Castle of Lions, ready to swoop in a moment’s notice if, say, Lance’s plan didn’t go…well, according to plan.

Lance shook his head. He was tired. Emotionally drained. But his night was far from over.

The servant reappeared with an armful of dark blue fabric and Lance took that as his cue to stand up. He met her halfway to the closet, in front of a trifold mirror. It was still odd having someone else dress him, so he looked away as she stripped him bare, keeping his eyes on the floor until he was clothed once more.

The outfit looked fancy enough and was definitely something Lance would not have picked for himself. It was long and flowing, but it left his back completely exposed. Most likely to show off his mark.

He cleared his throat. “So, who all is going to be at this shindig?” he asked.

“The royal court, most of the nobility, and the highest ranking military officers,” she answered him as she smoothed down the sheer, glittery fabric. “His highness wishes to share his news with only the most esteemed of guests.”

“Right.” Lance swallowed. “And…my friends?”

“The Paladins of Voltron?” she questioned, her chipper attitude suddenly taking a turn. “They already know of your betrothal, do they not?”

“Yes.” Lance drew his brows down. “But shouldn’t they be there, too? I mean, they’re like my family.” Not to mention Lance really wanted Keith and Shiro there for moral support. He could do this, but he’d definitely prefer to do it with them present.

“I understand, Your Highness, but I-” She was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Yes?” she called before Lance could.

“The royal escort has arrived for his highness, The Blue Paladin.”

Lance swallowed again, but it got caught in his throat. His friends weren’t invited to the announcement and now he was being led there by what sounded like bodyguards. Maybe this was going to be more difficult than he originally thought.

 

As it turned out, Lance _was_ escorted by bodyguards. And big ones at that. Still beautiful, long-limbed, and jewel-toned like the rest of the Avanyuans, but certainly intimidating.

When they arrived at the ballroom, the two guards stayed outside as Lance’s servant – Handmaiden? Was that a better term? Anyway – as she led Lance inside.

The hall was huge, much larger than where they’d dined. And it was filled with Avanyuans in similar attire to Lance, varying in colors, but no less fancy. And, at the front of it all, was a raised dais with four thrones. Three of which held the royal family and one that remained vacant.

His. 

Lance swallowed again.

“And here he is now,” the king proclaimed, standing up and gesturing toward Lance. “To think that the bearer of my daughter’s mark would be none other than one of the brave paladins of Voltron!”

The room erupted in cheers and applause, the crowd parting to allow Lance a straight shot toward their majesties. Hesitantly, he took a step forward, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Keith, Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, or Allura.

But they were nowhere to be found.

“Come, my son,” the king said, beckoning him forward. “You’ll be joining us here and, once you’ve greeted your subjects, we’ll move forward with the celebration.”

Celebration, huh? Even if Lance wasn’t completely against this union – which he totally was – he was so tired that the mere idea of staying up late and partying with the Avanyuans had his head throbbing.

When Lance made it to the dais, he paused, very much aware of the princess’s gaze on him. He’d been avoiding eye contact since he walked into the ballroom, but if he continued, it would be taken as rude. He took a deep breath and looked up.

“Hi,” he offered with a wave.

“Hi,” she returned, her voice soft and her cheeks tinting. She was beautiful. Anyone would have considered themselves unbelievably lucky to have been promised to such a person. But Lance’s heart belonged to another. Two others, actually. And it was not fair to the princess to drag this out any longer.

“You see his mark?” the king bellowed happily, gripping Lance’s shoulders and showing off his scar. “A hero from the planet Earth with a matching mark for my daughter! Astonishing, is it not?”

The crowd roared in reply, clearly overjoyed that their long-time lonely princess had finally found her match.

Lance’s stomach dropped. This wasn’t fair to her. It wasn’t fair to any of them. He needed to object and fast.

“Your Majesty,” he said, voice cracking. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Your Majesty, I believe there’s been a mistake.”

At that, the king’s jovial smile faded and he narrowed his eyes, the queen beside him following suit. “A mistake?”

“That is what your _friends_ said, too,” the queen added, voice cold.

“There is no mistake,” the king insisted. “Your mark perfectly matches my daughter’s.”

“Yes, but, which-” however, the king cut Lance off, raising his hands in the air to silence the room.

“Let us see their marks together!” he announced.

“Yes!” the crowd cheered. “Let us see them glow!”

“A rare sight, indeed!” another added. “I’ve never seen the royal family’s glow.”

Glow? Okay, this might be easier than Lance thought. He’d had his birthmark his entire life and his scar for years and never once did either glow. He’d simply stand next to the princess, apologize for the inconvenience and misunderstanding, and then beat feet to the Castle of Lions.

No big. 

The princess stepped forward, looking up at him sheepishly as they stood side by side. Lance took a quick peek at her back, his heart sinking when he noticed she had no starburst mark resembling his scar. All there was to be seen was a dark patch of skin that looked like Norway. Just like his birthmark.

Still, it had to be a coincidence.

When he caught her eye, she gave a shy smile before facing away. Lance followed suit – or, rather, was manhandled into position by the king – and waited. He squeezed his eyes shut as his back began heating up. He hoped it was just from nerves and not from some strange, soulmate-y glow.

He held his breath, counting his heartbeats. The crowd was silent. Shouldn’t they be cheering by now? The king and queen didn’t speak either.

“There must be some mistake,” the king finally said, stepping between Lance and the princess and inspecting their marks. “They are identical.”

Just then, the doors to the ballroom burst open, revealing the other paladins, with Keith and Shiro at the forefront. “We tried to tell you, Your Majesty,” Shiro said, looking as diplomatic and serious as always. But when he turned his gaze on Lance, his eyes softened.

“Now that you have your proof, let Lance go,” Keith added, his hand hovering over his bayard.

“I suppose…you’re right,” the king deflated, sitting heavily on his throne. The queen did the same, placing a comforting hand over her husband’s.

“They were a perfect match,” she said, but whether it was directed toward them or the king, Lance wasn’t sure. Both their majesties looked heartbroken.

Lance’s eyes widened. The princess! He needed to apologize.

“I’m-“ He turned to face her, but was surprised to see that she was not upset. In fact, she was smiling, looking almost relieved. “…sorry?” he finished weakly.

“I apologize, Blue Paladin,” she said, barely containing her giddiness. “You are a fine match for any princess, but, you see, my heart belongs to another.”

“Adeliza!” the king protested, rubbing at one of his temples. “Not this again.”

“I know you do not approve, Father, but I don’t need a mark to tell me who my soulmate is.” The princess turned to face the court just as one of the nobles came forward. She had tears in her eyes as she took another step. Adeliza met her halfway, wrapping her arms around her and pressing their foreheads together. “This is the person I love.”

Lance raised his brows, gaze darting over to see Keith and Shiro’s shocked faces before returning to the king.

“She does not bear your mark,” the king argued, like it wasn’t the first, fifth, or tenth time he’d said it.

“I don’t care.” Adeliza looked up at him, her soft features suddenly fiercely defiant. “I love her. And I won’t force her to paint on a mark like you do to Mother.”

Immediately, the queen’s hand flew to her collarbone, covering a blue splotch Lance hadn’t noticed before.

In all the commotion, the other paladins had walked forward and Lance nearly jumped when two hands fell to rest on his shoulders. He was flanked by Keith and Shiro, the others standing just behind.

“So, the queen wasn’t the king’s soulmate?” Hunk whispered loud enough for Lance to hear.

“And the princess is in love with another,” Allura added.

“Talk about family drama,” Pidge snorted.

“Your Majesty,” Shiro said, catching the king’s attention. “Since the misunderstanding has been cleared up, is it safe to assume Lance is free to go?”

The king sighed, but nodded, waving them off.

“And the alliance?” Allura questioned, stepping forward.

“We will do everything in our power to aid the Voltron Coalition,” the king replied and then went back to arguing with his daughter, who Lance thought for sure was winning. After all, her father had fallen for someone who didn’t bear his mark either.

“Let’s get out of here,” Keith said, moving his arm to wrap it around Lance’s waist and giving him a tug toward the doors.

“Coran’s already got the ship docked,” Shiro added, his hand giving Lance’s shoulder a squeeze. “We didn’t want to take any chances.”

Lance smiled, warmth filling his chest. They walked slowly, letting Allura, Hunk, and Pidge get ahead of them. Then he finally spoke. “Thanks,” he said. “For coming for me.”

“Of course,” Shiro replied, leaning to press a soft kiss to Lance’s temple. “We weren’t about to let you get married off to anyone other than us.”

At that, Lance’s cheeks burned. Did Shiro just imply…

“He’s right,” Keith added, pulling him closer and bumping their heads together gently. “So, don’t go getting accidentally engaged anymore, okay?”

Lance chuckled, moving to wrap his arms around both his boyfriends before pulling them close. “Better make an honest man out of me, then,” he teased, delighting in the pink blushes that blossomed on their cheeks.

Maybe it was a little soon to discuss the topic of marriage, but if Lance wanted to be tied to anyone in the entire universe, it was the two of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww~ How cute XD  
> This went much longer than originally planned, but I do hope people are a bit happier with this ending!
> 
> As always, let me know what you think and feel free to scream at me [@bluecheesy](http://bleucheesy.tumblr.com)!


End file.
